Wishing for Yesterday...
by cappie
Summary: A new Fushigi Yuugi, same wonderful characters--except not perhaps Miaka and Yui. Yumiko finds herself in China, and the protection of Chichiri and Tasuki and the rest of the bandits.
1. Chapter 1: the book

**Wishing for Yesterday…[?]**

By Saihitei and Cappie-chan

Disclaimers: Yuu Watase came up with it, and we are leaving it that way. If we ever feel the need to desperately own this anime; be aware, we will do everything in our power to try and make it ours. 

Chapter 1 

Dark gray clouds loomed over the city of Tokyo, crying and blessing the earth with luminescent tears of life and sorrow. The serenity of the area was shattered by a piercing shriek coming from the vicinity of the place where all scholars are born: the library. 

"Oh no! I dropped the floor wax on these new books! They are going to kill me!'" the voice seemed to echo throughout the area, now deserted in the late evening. Then, a few moments later, the world had returned into its quiet reverie, in which only the sounds of the drops interrupted such beauty.

"Great…lets hurry up and try to clean them off." Another, slightly deeper voice said, with a hint of exasperation resonating through its tone. Obviously, the female seemed not pleased with this turn of events. 

The public Tokyo library was indeed a magnificent place, its curves and arches gracing the block-like and perhaps too modern streets of Tokyo. No, this place held something of a forgotten yesterday, quiet, and unspoken. A place where people could loose themselves amid the books, and allow themselves to happily drown amongst fantasies of old.

"Here, Kai, you finish cleaning the rest of these books. I'll start entering them into this new database." The girl who had just spoken commanded gently.

"But, Yumiko, what am I supposed to do?! The stain won't come out!"

"Wonderful, just wonderful…hah, they will probably just take it out of your paycheck." The girl, now classified as 'Yumiko' retorted as she heaved a great sigh, lifting a lofty number of books closer to the computer. 

"Oh…ok then. I don't feel so bad now. Should I go get the new shipment of books then?"

"Uh, yeah…I think so."

Kai moved away from her friend towards the box behind them, tearing into the box of antique books. "Hey! What's this? The Book of the Four Gods? Must be mythology…" She picked up the red-covered book with pale gold thread. "Hey, Yumiko, check this book out. It looks so different from all the others!"

"Yeah, it is sort of weird looking. I bet its worth a lot of money." Yumiko murmured, grabbing it from her friend, and running it through her hands. Indeed, it was a different sort of variety, as if through from years past, and it looked as though it had not been touched in ages. Dust seemed to be permanently stained into it's covers. Yumiko gave one last lingering look at the faded book, and then gingerly tossed it back to Kai, grinning a bit as she teased, "You make sure you don't get wax on that one. I don't think you have enough money for that, it's probably priceless." 

"I won't. Besides, you make it sound as though I meant to drop the wax. I didn't," she scowled grimly, not amused by the joke made at her expense. She turned her attention back to the book. "You know, from the colors, it almost looks Chinese. Maybe it's a book about Chinese Mythology? What section is it going under?"

A thoughtful silence took place, and then Yumiko finally answered, "Well, Mythology to be sure, or else International studies. I suppose you should open it up, to see actually what is in the thing. Probably something worthless, like how fortune cookies were made."

"I don't think so. Besides, something this pretty can't be that worthless. I don't think they would have made it look so nice if it was something like that. In any case, books on mythology are far from worthless! They can tell you a lot about people's cultures, you know," Kai muttered as she opened the ancient text. She looked at the pages, hoping to find some way to identify the genre of the book, only to find it blank. "What in blazes-?" She flipped through the whole book, finding it clean and unmarked. "I don't get this…"

"What's wrong? Doesn't it say anything useful?" Yumiko asked, her eyes focused on the glowing computer screen.

"No! It's so…blank!"

"What? Let me see it." Yumiko moved away from the workstation and towards her friend and the book in her hand.

"Here." Kai handed her the book as she got closer. Yumiko looked through the book in a similar fashion as her friend had done before her. With a baffled statement, she turned to the first page.

_"_Kai…there is something written right here…look!" Yumiko sighed, pointing to the first page, "How could you have missed it? I mean, there is illustrations and everything…" 

"Whoops," Kai laughed nervously, scratching the back of her head in anxiety, offering a mumbled, "I must have been to panicked to notice. Let me read it."

The two leaned closer, and began to slowly reading the elegant script… 

_…Herein contains the tale of a young lady and her quest to gather the seven Constellations of Suzaku together. And if you, the esteemed reader, should read to the story's end, the spell contained within this book shall bestow upon you the powers of the heroine, and grant you your wish. For indeed the moment the page is turned, the story will become reality…_

_"_Hmm, sounds like one of those inspirational feminist novels…or else, it's something with spells…" Yumiko mumbled as she randomly flipped through the pages, and finding the one after the first with script, continued, "They didn't get very far, did they?"

"I don't think they had those kinds of literature back then. China wasn't big on feminism. Besides, this book is too weird. Where is the rest of the story? It's not very inspirational if it's blank, is it? Maybe it's a journal of sorts." Kai said softly, adding "I'd love to own a journal like this…"

Yumiko studied her friend grinning, and then sighing once again, she commented, "Well, it seems that Mr. Translator Einosuke Okuda got tired of it…I suppose we should just categorize it in Miscellaneous…" 

Eyes wide, Kai turned to her friend after glancing once more at the book. "You do realize some weird invisible hand is writing on the pages… There's more characters now."

"What the hell…?" Yumiko swore amazed as her eyes followed the now murky and black ink seeping in through the pages, to form the words… 

_…The two girls unaware of the powers are held inside these ancient pages studied the book in wonderment as words appeared in front of their eyes. Suddenly, sounds of amazement filled the room as the girls found themselves being lifted above the ground, as though being held by unknown source…_

"What are they-" Kai began but was interrupted as the book emitted a burst of brilliant white light. "Hey!" The pair was wrapped by the light and pulled by some unseen, powerful force into the book.

When the brightness vanished, all that was left in the room was a small mess of books, floor wax, a computer whose screen was still glowing and perhaps a few strands of hair.

**********

The invisible force brought the girls to empty blackness and left them floating in its barrenness. Well, it would have been a completely ebony void if the two girls had not started emitting light from their bodies.

"Yumiko, you know you're glowing this brilliant sunset-scarlet, right?" Kai asked her friend, who held up her hands in front of her face. "I'm rather glad you are, because now I can see you."

""Sunset Scarlet? …Am I?" Yumiko questioned curiously, looking down at her hands, 'What the hell!? But, you know, Kai, your sort of …glowing bright blue, sort of silver-ish. What the hell is going on?! Are we dead? Did something collapse at the library…is this death?" Yumiko began to grab her arms, as though trying to get a grip on reality, "Kai…I don't want to die…" Tears glistened in the light that she was emanating, "Kai…" (it may be known that Yumiko is frightfully afraid of death…)

"It's alright, Yumiko…here, grab hold onto my hand." Kai said reassuringly as she reached out towards Yumiko.

The winds of time engulfed the two, surrounding them, and separating them, as though they were never meant to stay together; like oil and water, destined to live their own adventure.

"Although, I hope you know that you match the red light coming from over there," Kai said in a deadpan attempt to cheer up her friend, pointing to the growing crimson brilliance behind Yumiko. "…You know, that wasn't there before."

"Yeah…there is a bright glow behind you too…the same color as you. That blue…" Yumiko sniffed a bit still reaching out towards the Kai, who was now disappearing father and farther into the black void. 

The two remained silent for a moment, and then their breath stopped suddenly as the familiar force grabbed hold of them, and sucked them quickly and painfully into their separate portholes of color. 

And then…only silence remained…   
  


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AN: Cappie-chan: *coughs* …well, that's chapter one. Let's see if we can make it to the other chapters! *hopes* Anyways, I write the part of Yumiko…I don't really know where she is going. A mixture between childhood and adult. I mean, HECK, I am afraid of death, so I am incorporating parts of myself into this fic. I hope that me and the brilliant author 'the demon violinist', actually continue this story, which we have been meaning to write for some time now! *glares at D.V.* Anyways, feel free to e-mail me at: furinkoto_neko@yahoo.com , or IM at: NihontoKyudo. I also have wrote some other fics, namely, Inu Yasha and Card Captor Sakura. 

Saihitei: ^^ Hello everyone! Nicki here, and I do the part of Kai, and obviously she's a pretty weird character. What sort of person would suddenly blurt out "Sunset-scarlet?" In any case, I am determined to write this story, since my love for Hotohori-sama has been rekindled (I have to thank Romance of the Three Kingdoms for that – it's an incredibly long and boring story – not the novel, but the story of how RTK influenced my growing love for Hotohori-sama. Or maybe I mean the game, Dynasty Warriors… Who knows). He's shuttled Nakago-sama out of his high place in my heart and set the Seiryuu seishi a rank below his own glory… ^^ Aa how I love the man… See you all later!

Cappie: and damn, before Hotohori, this girl was SPRUNG on Nakago, OMG!

Saihitei: Well, Nakago-sama is still important to me. It's just that now Hotohori is so much more, well, appealing in almost all areas (although Nakago still takes the cake when it comes to senxuality….). Um, Cappie-chan, please stop singing "Hellfire" -.-;

Cappie: You know, I sing great, shut up…but I mean, Nakago used to be like…O.O her ichi-ban, she used to have him in the bathtub. I, on the other hand, am normal, and keep Tasuki where he belongs: the bed.

Saihitei: -.-; Baka. Nakago was in the closet not the bathtub! That's why I had to get a new one, remember? Zechs was in the bathtub, as well as…er… nevermind. Anyway, stay tuned for the rest of our fic. Hope it wasn't bad, considering most people don't really approve of this sort of story. 

Cappie: Do u think they really read all the way down here? Probably not…~_~; 


	2. Chapter 2: the woods

Untitled

By the Saihitei and Cappie-chan

AN: uhmmm…

Chappter Two

Yumiko sighed a bit as she rubbed her swollen head. It's pain was radiating down the back of her head, and to her spine; but thankfully, nothing seemed to be broken…Taking a deep breathe, she opened her eyes, and let the sky above blind her eyes. For some reason, the heavens seemed every more radiant then ever, as if pollution had never even taken place in the world, and it's color was so vibrant that it seemed to go beyond histories reach.  From what Yumiko reasoned, a storm had just seemed to have washed over the country side, for great puffy cumulous clouds floated daintily over her head, their bottoms washed over with the deepest of gray.

        Groaning, Yumiko forced her body to move, even though every bit of sense she had seemed to be screaming at her to stay stationary, and lying against the comforting red earth. However, Yumiko disdainfully ignored them, and urged her body to come into an upright position. 

        "Uh…" Yumiko groaned, grasping her head, now wet with perspiration.

--what exactly happened? The last thing she remembered was a blinding flash of red light…and then, suddenly, it had all gone black, until now.—

        Looking around, she found herself in a totally unfamiliar place.  Well…perhaps, it might have been familiar; after all, it did look like a typical pine forest. However, considering that she could have sworn she was just in the Tokyo public library, the feeling was unnerving. 

        The only thing that perhaps calmed her oncoming hysteria was the natural beauty that surrounded her. Great, ancient pine trees, almost the color of the red earth she was now seated upon, surrounded her, their pristine beauty and dignity almost caught her breath. Late afternoon sun, the color of strong tea, filtered in through its bright branches above—casting to world into a stained glass picture, the color of late afternoon.

        Slowly, taking her time, she got up and stretched gingerly. It wasn't that she was not in good physical condition; no, all the training at the family dojo and shrine wouldn't allow her to be.  It seemed though, that when she had hit the ground, she had hit it hard, and she could feel the bruises and cuts already begin to cause her frustration.

_Where am I…? _Yumiko wondered as she began to walk slowly through the under brush. 

_One things for sure…I'm not in Kansas anymore. _Yumiko grinned a bit as she walked, however, after a half an hour of walking through the dense forest, her thoughts turned dark…_I need to find some sort of shelter before dark…who knows what comes out of these woods at night…_

The sun was now setting deeply onto the horizon, turning the sky flaming red…

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"Chiriko-sama, where are you going?" a servant asked, her voice edged with worry. "Hopefully not too far…"

Chiroku looked up, smiled a bit, and then continued to neatly fold a small collection of clothes into a chest, "I'm sorry, Chung, I should have told you sooner. I am going to the capital…"

"B-But, we have expected guests soon!" Chung sputtered, trying to find some excuse for her young master not to leave. He was not ready for such adventures. Not yet.

"I'm sorry…but the constellations, they are aligned.  Soon, Suzaku no miko will present herself. We do not want her in the hands of our enemy…I'm sorry, Chung, I should have told you sooner…It is true, I have known of this situation for much time…but…"

Chung walked quietly over to the small boy, and put her hand onto his shoulder, "It's alright…I knew you must go one day…just, be careful. Your parents worry…" 

_Even though they are long gone, they worry for you, young master_

Chiriko turned around, his eyes glistening with warmth and understanding, "Yes, I will be careful. Be sure to inform the guests of my absence."

Chung bowed low, and dismissed herself…she had a feeling she would never see him again, or at least, not for a very long time…

Chiriko turned his gaze to the open courtyard, just visible from his room.  It was a dry sort of heat covering the city, but soon, the ocean fog would cool.  His eyes shifted to the large pomegranate tree outside his window, the young green fruits turning with the heat a hint of yellow. Soon, they would turn their true scarlet.

```````

Chichiri silently jumped off the sun-baked rock, which had been his seat for about two hours. It seemed not to mind. Chichiri whistled a quiet tune as he grabbed his fish, which he hoped, would be enough for the bandits and such. Those guys had appetites, and of course, it was just their luck they had decided to camp by a nearly fishless stream. Chichiri just prayed, as he was very good at doing, that the men had managed to find something worthwhile in the forest. After all, it was dusk, and the animals were beginning to emerge from their hallows and nests.

        "What the—" he fumbled as he found himself falling a bit, but quickly he recovered himself, and looked down at what had obstructed the path. Strange, very strange indeed. It seemed to be a young girl, and at that, a foreigner no doubt. She looked Asian, or at least from what he could tell from her hair—but her clothes, they were…strange…he had never seen such fine stitches and such fabric.

        He couldn't leave her…after all, a girl, unconscious, in the woods, at night? That only spelled disaster, and more likely than not, a tramp of hunter would find her, and decide to have 'fun'. In any case, perhaps whenever she decided to wake up, she would help him with the cooking. No doubt the girl was hungry, and the bandits didn't take much to cooking. He nearly had to force them just to peal the yams. Grumbling a bit, he slipped the fish into his hat—allowing them to disappear into the void. They would be safe there—after all, knowing magic did have its advantages.

        Carefully picking her up, aware of her bruises, he began to make his way back to camp. What would Tasuki and Kouji say? Or rather, do?

`````

"Chichiri~!" a flame haired man roared, a mixture of happiness and anger painted carefully onto his face, "Where have you been?! Damn it!"

The blue haired monk sighed a bit, emerging into the light of the fire, "As you can see, I got a bit sidetracked, no da."

"I'll say!" a fellow bandit grinned a bit, admiring the girl which was now laying on top of the monks shoulders.   
"Kouji…! Just help me get her down, no da!" the monk grumbled irritably towards the insensitive and sex driven 'number two' of the clan. The man with the scar rushed forward, followed by the man with the flame colored hair, which seemed more concerned about the girl, rather than her physical attributes. Of course, he was not totally unaware of them.

"Where the hell did you find her? Who the hell would be out in these woods, at dusk!? That's practically suicide!" the blazing haired male roared, exasperated as he felt her brow with a pissed of expression on her face, "Well, we can't wait for her to wake up!"

Grabbing a bucket of nearby water, he gingerly turned it upside down, the icy brew covering Yumiko's body. She awoke with a start, spurting water and coughing.

"What the—What happened?!" She began, and then, looking up and finding herself surrounded by about fifty or so men, her mouth closed, and she gripped her clothes tightly. Out of the frying pan, and into the fire…

"I…" She began. Damn. Figured that when she had decided to pass out, a bunch of sexually frustrated men had decided to pick her up.

"Don't worry about them, no da." Someone said behind her.   
Turning her head, she found an almost cat-like smiling face looking towards her…

"They don't mean any harm. They just haven't seen a woman in a couple of weeks, that's all, but Tasuki and Kouji will keep them in line, no da. You can cook right?" the man asked smiling his ever-continual smile.

"Uh…yes, I can. But-where am I? Who are you?" Yumiko answered, although now, confused beyond any reasoning. This monk referred to a 'Tasuki' and 'Kouji'—whoever they were, hopefully they would have some breeding…or at least, manners.  She shivered a bit, but then nodded to the man, who was still smiling at her. Obviously, to these men, life was: dinner first, questions later. However, she felt about a hundred pairs of eyes roving her body, and embarrassed she got up suddenly, wrapping her arms around her. Although the night was cold—she still had no idea where she was…and even this brought shivers up her spine.

        She grimaced a bit, although she had never been one to rely on the kindness of strangers, it seemed that she would be forced to. After all, she had been born and raised in Tokyo. A place where rapists, perverts, and crazy people rode the subways; and got a kick out of feeling high school girls up. But now, it seemed, she had no choice. It was either accept their rugged hospitality that involved cooking; or else go back to the dark woods, filled with things she did not want even imagine. 

        "Yes, I can cook." Yumiko repeated, fumbling a bit as the blue haired and ever smiling man dressed in garb of a Japanese monk, took her hand and led her away from the crowd.

"We can talk while we clean these fish, no da. I hope you don't mind that…unless, you cant to cut up all those stolen vegetables over there." He said, motioning to a barrel full of a variety of different kinds on a loosely constructed table.

"Stolen vegetables?" Yumiko questioned nervously.

"I myself don't agree with stealing myself—sometimes it's easier just to ask, no da. But, it seems that stealing is just in a bandit's job description." He said, smiling as he hacked the head off the fish.

"So, that's what these guys are…" Yumiko said, a bit amazed as her eyes looked over the group of about fifty men—practicing their swordsmanship, beating drums, talking, laughing, drinking, or just sleeping—the past time of a bandit, so it would seem.

"Yes, they are bandits. Really, the guys aren't so bad. Most of them are fathers, and just trying to get by for their family, no da. The crop harvest was pretty bad this year, and Kutou has been resorting to stealing some of Konon's crops. Basically, these guys are just trying to get by, no da."

Kutou? Konon? Bad crops?

"Uhm, excuse me…?" she began, stopping her pealing of yam, "But who are you, and where am I…?"

The monk looked at her, and blinked, "You really don't know?"

Yumiko shook her head. She was absolutely blank. No clue, whatsoever.

"Well, my name is Chichiri, I am a monk. And you are in the empire known as Konon, which is in China, no da."

China…

China…?

"I think I need to sit down…" Yumiko said a bit startled. And as she did, she murmured aloud, "How did I get here? And why do Chinese people know how to speak Japanese…?"

The monk, now clarified as 'Chichiri' gently touched her shoulder, and said humorlessly, "I don't know about the first one…but I can tell you that Japanese is sort of a must know language here. We get a lot of business from Japan, and anyone would be a fool not to know a little bit, no da. But most people know it fluently, because they figure, what's the point of knowing how to speak a language, when you only know enough to get by, no da?"

Yumiko looked up at the man, and smiled a bit. He seemed to at least keep his humor. She brushed aside her hair. As much as she hated to admit to herself—she might as well continue with the vegetables, after all, what if the clan decided to kick her out, where would she go? How would she get back home? And how would she find answers to her questions?

``````````

Yumiko had continued to peal the potatoes, and then she continued on to the carrots, and then the onions, which she only had to chop.  However, as she cleaned and cut the soon to be dinner her eyes every once in a while glanced up to survey the bandits and the terrain.  All of them seemed to be amiable, and friendly—if not a bit rough…        

        In between her glances she chatted with Chichiri, who seemed not to mind her persistent questions, about where she was, and how she might have gotten there. Yumiko realized that she had been very lucky indeed to be taken in by a monk, for after all; men were all the same the world over, ne? And that meant usually they wanted just one thing out of females…

        "So, right now, I am in Konon…?" Yumiko inquired.

        "Yes, we are on the border…but we are making our way towards the capital. Supposedly Tasuki has some business to do there, no da." Chichiri explained.

        "…But there are other kingdoms, right? I heard you mention Kutou…" Yumiko pressed. For some reason, the subject matter interested her. As if she was connected some how to this forested terrain.

        Chichiri's smile faulted for half a second, however he quickly recovered, and answered her promptly, "Yes…Kutou, Kutou is Konon's enemy, no da. However, it was not always like that. The four kingdoms are ruled by their respective gods, it was too bad that the dragon—Kutou's god—is such a fearsome divinity."

        Yumiko thought silently to her –_Four gods…just like that Chinese book…perhaps that's where I am…in the book?_

_        "_A-Anou…" Yumiko began.

        "Hm?" Chichiri murmured as he dumped the vegetables into a big boiling pot of water.

        "Nothing…" she sighed. How could she tell him that she was from another world? How could she prove it? Angry with herself, she stuffed her hands into her coat pockets, which until now she had forgotten she was wearing. Although it had been mid-summer in Japan, at times the rain sent a cool draft throughout the marble halls of the public library. Yumiko's stormy eyes widened in surprised as she quickly extracted her portable CD-player. She had completely forgotten about it…! After all, recording and filling books into the new computer was extremely boring, and listening to music always helped her get the work done faster, and with not as much of a grind on her sensory…She searched around in her other pockets, and found her wallet [filled with a few pictures, and about 2000 yen, and chewy candy], and a missing earring, onto which a glass bead was place, along with her silver ring which she had taken off when they were waxing.

        Yumiko reasoned though, that she could not just yet reveal this fact, and so carefully she placed the items back into her pocket, and began to stir the soup as Chichiri had directed her.

        Once again she had taken to looking up and around the camp, and as she did so she felt a presence she had felt before, as if someone was looking at her. She scanned the area, and found the owner of these feelings she was experiencing. It seemed to be the man with the flame colored hair, which was staring at her as though she should not even exist on the planet. His eyes only held anger and hatred towards her, and Yumiko felt herself become guilty under his stare. After all, he had every right to look at her that way—she was a freeloader, and she was disrupting the peace. _I will leave tomorrow morning, early. I will find someone who can help me…_

"Chichiri…?" Yumiko questioned softly, her gaze now back on the man with the flame colored hair.

        "Yes?" the man questioned, looking up from his seat where he was polishing his staff that jangled with the classic rings about it.

        "Who is that man? With the reddish hair?" Yumiko asked, nervously pointing to him.

        "Reddish hair? Oh! You mean Tasuki, no da." Chichiri said surprised, "It's actually not as red as it looks now, it's just the fire that does it to his hair—in the day time, its more auburn colored. Why, no da?"

        "Well…he is sort of glaring at me, like he is thinking of ways to murder me." Yumiko whispered, embarrassed.

        By now, all this motioning towards the figure and whispering had caught Tasuki's attention, so now he focused his gaze on the two, his amber eyes narrowing every so slightly.

His figure had stiffened—what exactly were those two talking about over there? Why was Chichiri laughing…?

        "Oh, don't pay any mind to him, no da." Chichiri chuckled, "He just doesn't like women much."

        "Really…? I wonder why." Yumiko pondered a bit, "Maybe it's just me?"

        "Oh, no, not really, no da. The only thing I have heard is that there was some girl in his past that broke his heart. Now, he just doesn't like women…" Chichiri shrugged a bit, and returned back to polishing. Yumiko digested these facts a bit more, and then went back to stirring the soup, which would soon be ready.

        Every once in while, Yumiko looked up unconsciously towards the Tasuki, hoping that he would have given up on trying to make her explode by his stare. He never gave up, and until the meal was served, his gaze never strayed from her form.

`````

"You seem pretty engrossed." Kouji grinned as he speared a piece of fish and put it into the nearby fire. Gingerly he patted Tasuki on the back, shaking him a bit.

"What the hell did you do that for!? Bastard…" Tasuki grumbled angrily, "Can't a guy get any rest around here!?" Slumping against the side of the hill, he crossed his arms, and glared angrily at his friend, who was watching his meat brown—apparently Kouji found it very interesting.

"Sorry—you just seemed a little dazed." Kouji whistled as his grin became even wider.

"Bastard, what the hell are you mumbling about…?" Tasuki swore as he threw a rock towards the man with plum colored hair.

"Mah—your sensitive tonight…!" Kouji continued, taking his fish, and biting hungrily into it. It seemed to taste good.  Settling back onto the large rock Tasuki was perched on, he leaned back and offered a bit to his friend.

"So what do you think?" Kouji questioned after a moment.

"Of what?" Tasuki asked angrily as he glared into the fires flames.

"Of her." Kouji said motioning to Yumiko who was now ladling out soup to the fellow bandits. "The men seem to like her."

_…Who wouldn't?  Half these men haven't been laid in half a year. All they want is sex._ Tasuki thought sadly.

"She is a female. Of course they are going to like her." Tasuki sighed, running a hand through his hair, and then grabbing the remnants of the fish from Kouji, and finishing it before he could say anything.

"…Thanks." Kouji grumbled, glaring at Tasuki.  However, the two settled back into a quiet reverie as they watched the group interact with the mysterious girl.

"I think she is pretty hot." Kouji commented after a while.

"You think that then." Tasuki grumbled a bit, taking his dagger out of his pocket and polishing it carefully.

"Your in a bad mood tonight, aren't you?" Kouji questioned glancing at his friend, who seemed to have made his scowl permanent.

"No! Shut up!" Tasuki snapped angrily, "I just am not trusty of women, especially ones that are out in the middle of the woods at night time! Any idiot knows that!"

A few moments of silence.

"Well, maybe she is not from around her. I mean—look at her clothes. Have you ever seen such small stitches? My god, it must have taken someone a year to make that! I bet she is rich…she probably has a lot of ryo on her…" Kouji pondered a bit.

"Don't even think about it." Tasuki said, "We are not going to rob her—that would be as low as something people from Kutou do…" 

"True…true…" Kouji sighed scratching his cheek a bit. After a moment sidelong glance at Tasuki, he said a bit softer, "You should go talk to her, or something. After all, you are the leader."

"Chichiri seemed to be doing just fine." Tasuki grumbled, his eyes narrowing for a fraction of a second, "In anycase, if I do…I can bet what's gunna happen. Every time I am friendly—or even talk to a girl, the whole clan goes into hysterics! Damn it!"

"…We can't help it you refuse to talk to girls much. We just like to celebrate the possibility of an offspring!" Kouji explained, laughing a bit.

"Shut up! You go talk to her!" Tasuki roared as he pushed Kouji off the rock, and then kicked him towards the direction of where the girl was (currently chatting with a fellow bandit who was the skilled archer of the group.) Kouji turned back towards Tasuki, grinned a bit, and walked towards the girl, whistling a light song. Kouji just loved turning the tables on Tasuki—it was one of his favorite past times.

~~~~~~~

AN: Well, that's the end of chapter two, I hope this fic is turning out okay. Remember, Kai is being written by another person, so you will have to go find the Demon Violinist…unless she made the new name, Saitehei or whatever. ^_^;; please, review. Or, e-mail me at furinkoto_neko@yahoo.com

Doumou arigatou!


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